Police departments nationwide have increasingly come under fire over the past several years for excessive use of force and abuse of power, and the Reno Police Department is, unfortunately, no exception to this trend. Even if the officers you recently interacted with did not discharge or draw their service weapons, you may still have grounds to file suit against them if they unjustly caused you to suffer a physical injury during an arrest or under any other circumstances.
Of course, no personal injury claim is simple, and as any personal injury attorney could tell you, claims against law enforcement officers and agencies are usually challenging, even by the usual standards for this category of litigation. If you want a fair chance at obtaining compensation for your damages, you should make contacting a Reno police brutality lawyer at Shook & Stone one of your top priorities.
When Can Someone File Suit Over Police Brutality?
While police officers and other public officials in Nevada have “qualified immunity” from civil litigation under many circumstances, they are notably not immune from being found liable for the harm they cause civilians by acting in bad faith or by engaging in unreasonably negligent or aggressive conduct. Accordingly, it may be possible to take legal action against a police officer based on things like:
- Sexual assault
- Civil rights violations involving racial profiling
- Excessive use of force against someone who is not resisting an officer’s actions
- Violating someone’s constitutional rights, especially the right to be free from unlawful search and seizure
- Threats and harassment, especially threats of violence against people not directly involved in the interaction
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to pursue litigation not only from the individual police officer who violated your rights but also against:
- Their immediate supervisor
- The police department or law enforcement agency they work for
- The city of Reno
Our Reno attorneys could review your options for a police brutality settlement demand or lawsuit in more detail during a free consultation.
Recovering Fairly Within Filing Deadlines
Like other types of personal injury litigation, a civil claim over police brutality can include both “economic” and “non-economic” losses. On the economic side, a comprehensive claim can include:
- Past and expected future medical bills
- Lost work income or long-term working ability
- Expenses associated with personal property damage or loss
Non-economic damages are more subjective and may be trickier to assign fair financial values to, but they can cover things like:
- Physical pain from injuries
- Emotional anguish
- Psychological trauma
- Lost overall quality of life
In situations involving extreme negligence or overtly malicious conduct, a court may impose additional punitive damages against the defendant(s) in your claim and award those damages to you as extra compensation.
However, you will need to act quickly to protect your rights in a situation like this, as state law generally allows injured people two years at most after sustaining harm to file suit against whoever was responsible for harming them. A police brutality lawyer in Reno could provide crucial assistance with building and proactively pursuing a strong claim within this filing time limit.
Contact a Reno Police Brutality Attorney Today
Law enforcement may play an important role in keeping Reno residents safe from crime, but that does not mean police officers have total freedom to enforce the law however they see fit. However, even if you have strong grounds for a lawsuit over harm you have suffered at the hands of overzealous police, you may have very slim odds of getting a favorable final result from that claim if you try to pursue it alone.
A Reno police brutality lawyer from Shook & Stone could be a steadfast and irreplaceable ally from the beginning to the end of your legal proceedings. Call today to discuss your possible claim.
